When the wind blew, she stopped, taking in the scents as her whiskers tested the surrounding area. She smelled it, big game. It was musky and wild.
“Dinner,” her byema crowed. Jade stayed silent. Sometimes in life, you were just along for the ride.
She changed position due to what her whiskers were telling her. Her body was in a crotch as she stalked her prey. A different smell came to her, it stunk of sweat, fear, and excitement. She faltered for the first time knowing something wasn’t right. Lyrek was downwind from her but she knew he was there. She turned to ask what was happening when there was a shot that rang through their land. The sound of it hitting something reverberated in her ears.
Lyrek took off in that direction in a flat-out run. Neither Jade nor her byema took the time to question, they chased after him. A growl rumbled through her at the thought of anything happening to him.
This is safe land Jade reassured herself. No poaching, camping, or trespassing. Her byema may not have understood all the words, but she understood the sentiment.
“Someone didn’t pay attention.”
Lyrek had them in both height in weight. They weren’t catching up, but they weren’t falling behind. He was so close if only they could go a little faster. Her byema’s breath came out in greater huffs as she pulled speed from a reserve, she didn’t know she had.
Almost there. There was a loud sound that echoed through the area. Gun jade supplied. Followed by a painful roar from Lyrek.
He’s been shot. It wasn’t a guess she felt it down to her soul or the bond they shared. Her male was bleeding out from a bullet wound, her byema’s male had been shot.
“Our Mate.”
They sprang into the clearance as the hunter lifted his gun to shoot again. With no thought of the consequences, they jumped at him. His throat was in their mouth before they knew it. Warm blood trickled down their jaws as they clamped shut and shook with all their might. His body stopped twitching before they let him go.
The wind brought the stench of two more hunters. They would also have guns. That knowledge seeped through their mind. If they didn’t move, they would become a stationary target. How were they supposed to protect their mate?
They stalked in front of their mate waiting for a signal, some small sign to tell them what was coming. It came in the briefest flash of light giving them enough time to move before the gun went off hitting nothing. They took off like a shot running towards the hunter that was now stumbling backward.
At the last minute, they changed course to go after the one that thought it was stalking them. Their body hit against his side. They took one large paw and hit him knocking him into a trap that had been set for a bear. If he were still alive Lyrek could take care of him later. There was one more hunter to deal with. They picked up his trail running after him. He was running away they realized. That wouldn’t do. They couldn’t have others thinking they could hunt here.
“Kill!”
Jade tried to remember why they didn’t want to do that. All she could see was Lyrek’s body laid out on the forest floor. She didn’t argue with her byema because she knew why she wanted the hunter dead. They caught him trying to climb a tree. They stalked him until he fell in the deep hole behind him. It was probably another bear trap. He wouldn’t be getting out without help, but he may live.
They left without a backward look. They needed to get to their mate.
“The others are coming.”
Lyrek sent out a call requesting help for his abraza. She didn’t need help she needed him. She paced in front of him stopping to lick him every so often. No matter how she tried to talk to him he wouldn’t respond and he wouldn’t move. She butted her head against him trying to get him on his feet. He needed help. She couldn’t leave him alone that thought that it wasn’t safe wouldn’t let up. She heard them before she saw them. They were trying to be quiet, but she heard every footfall, every breath.
When the first few byema’s stepped into the clearance her hackles rose. He was hers they would have to kill her to get to him. She saw them the ones who thought life would be better with someone else in charge. They wanted the title, the prestige, but none would dare to challenge him when he was in full fighting form. Now all that stood between them and the coveted title was a half breed.
Let them come. The voice was no longer jade, and it wasn’t her byema. It was a combination of both of them. They were merging becoming one as they faced the challenge of saving the male they loved. She loved him, they loved him. Of course, they did. You didn’t become a hybrid because it sounded interesting. You did it because your heart was in it.
They growled when the other byema’s got too close. They sat back on their haunches as others came into the clearing, but there was one. He refused to back down.
Jade continued to pace in front of Lyrek making it clear that no one cross the line. Jade examined those that were there looking for potential assailants as well as those that wanted to help. Her eight guards were there and so were Lyrek’s. If a challenge happened none of them could step in. She was prepared for that.
When it came it escalated quickly. The other byema swatted against her hindquarters while issuing his challenge. It was a dirty blow, but it was allowed to stand.
She continued to pace in front of Lyrek until the other byema ceded the point that to have a shot at him he would have to defeat her. His eyes lit in victory as if it were all his plan. She cheered him on by revealing her teeth. He took a step back. Maybe he missed the fact that she was rejoicing for him. Her mom used to say give me my flowers while I’m alive. She thought she’d do that for the other byema.
She met him midair. His heavier body knocking hers down. She twisted landing on her feet as his back legs buckled. Taking the chance, she ran into him tearing at his back flank and feinting right before he could land his deadly paw.
He was walking with a limp to match the one she was trying to hide but it wasn’t enough. She didn’t have the endurance or the years as a fighter he had. If Lyrek had time she would be careful, but he was dying as his blood seeped into the ground. She gave up ground moving backward knowing he would follow. The light of victory in his eyes made her want to throw up. She was desperate no way to hide that. She sprang at him in a Hail Mary move. He raked is deadly claws over her stomach opening her up and dropping her to the ground. It was over finished. She panted for breath knowing the next blow would be killing.
Soon she consoled herself she would be with her mate in the next world. When the byema came close to her, it was with pride. He gloated showing off for everyone. With his head bent she roared up and ripped out his throat.
She jumped to her feet and gave a roar as she limped her way back to Lyrek placing her body over his. She gave another roar. Every byema went to his front legs, head down, hindquarters lifted as they acknowledged her claim. Their king belonged to her. When she was satisfied there was no threat. She laid down next to Lyrek licking him as she demanded he get better.
Jade and her byema went on the hunt. Through one challenge or another, the two became one. It was the last thing she remembered until she was sitting in a waiting room with her hand wrapped around a cup of coffee.
“Where’s Lyrek,” she asked as she came to in a panic.
“He’s in surgery,” Jaydel his second told her.
“You saved his life,” Shaytal told her.
“I did what anyone would have done.”
“No, you did what only a queen would have done,” Shaytal insisted.
“A queen in love with her king,” Jaydel added for good measure. “I doubted you even as I challenged him to accept you. Forgive me.”
“No forgiveness needed. Words are so much easier than action. If they weren’t every person would reach their full potential.”
“Yes, my queen.”
She looked up to find her full guard in front of the door.
“They won’t let anyone else in,” Jaydel laughed.
“What happened to the o
ne who challenged me?”
“You killed him.”
She nodded. If she hadn’t of killed him in battle, she would have done it later. No one challenges her male and lives.
“No one challenges Lyrek and lives.”
“All Hail the Queen.” Every voice in the room was raised as one.
Chapter Nineteen
Jade was wearing a path out in front of the window when Rial finally pushed himself into the room.
“How is he?”
“He’s going to make it. He’s too tough to go out like that.”
Her knees buckled, Jayton was behind her with a chair. “Thanks.” He nodded and headed back to the door.
“When can I see him?”
“Soon, he’s still out, but should be around soon.”
“Anything to worry about?”
“Getting rest for more than a few hours. Now that you’ve proved yourself to be royalty, hopefully, he has to take a break.”
“What are you talking about?”
“No one has told you?” He looked around the room but no one met his eyes. “Bring a mirror.”
Rolun the captain of her guard brought one over.
“Look at yourself,” Rial held the mirror up for her.
She looked herself over and then looked back at Rial wondering what he was going on about.
“Look again.”
She took another look in the mirror, taking the time to categorize the bruises on her face. She did not come out of the fight unscathed. Someone had cleaned her up, patched up the bruises, but she was still sore. She searched her eyes looking for the one thing about her face that was off.
Her eyes were gold.
“What the hell?” she jumped back.
“I can’t explain it, none of us can. Some think it’s because Lyrek infected you with his venom.”
“You don’t think that.” She knew he didn’t feel that way by the tone of his voice.
“No. I believe when you not only fought for Lyrek but won you became royalty, his queen, not in name but in your physical person.”
If she had seen her eyes before everything that happened, she would have thrown herself into camp Lyrek’s venom. Now she knew it had nothing to do with venom and everything to do with being willing to kill for the man she loves. It mattered not if she was a queen or a plebeian, Lyrek was off limits.
“I want to see him.”
“Come with me.”
They left the room that felt a little too sterile since it was a room in the palace. They didn’t have far to go before he was opening another room. It was outfitted as a recovery room.
“When he wakes up, I’ll move him to another room where he will be monitored around the clock.”
“I’ll need a cot to sleep on.”
“I’m not surprised.”
She walked over to sit by his bedside taking his hand.
“How bad was it?”
“The hunter got a lucky shot. The bullet lodged in a chamber of his heart.”
She nodded she knew that their hearts weren’t in the same place as a human heart. The hunter didn’t know that.
“Rial tell Jayton and Rolun I need a report on what happened to the hunters are they alive or dead. Make sure someone sends a cleanup crew and checks to make sure all the signs are up. Talk to Raja and whoever he recommends, I want an early warning system if anyone crosses our threshold.”
“Yes my queen,” he left the room to deliver her messages.
“We need to beef up security my love.” She stroked his hand fighting sleep.
When her eyes opened, she was lying down.
“Stay still.” A hand was lying heavily over her belly.
“Lyrek?”
“I’m awake.” His voice was thick, but it was beautiful to her.
“I was so scared.” Her back was pressed to his chest. She carefully turned around to face him. “I’m not going to ask how I ended up in bed with you.” Her fingers went to trace his face.
“Are you all right?”
“Rial says I’ll be fine soon.”
“No, he didn’t. He said you need rest.”
“That’s part of the being fine in a little while.” He quirked the corner of his lips up and she bit back a laugh.
“Either you slow down or I throw you in the royal dungeon.”
“I think I’m going to have to listen now that you have the power to back up your title.”
“That’s right you should be very afraid.” She might have pulled off the face she was trying to make if she hadn’t of laughed.
“I think you would hurt yourself before you hurt me.”
She grunted no use arguing that.
“Go to sleep.” He looked at her before yawning and closing his eyes. They both needed sleep.
*~*~*~*~*
“General Murray called again requesting an audience with the king and queen,” Jayton announced as he walked into the room.
“Sit, have breakfast with us.” Jade indicated the table they just sat down to.
“Coffee?”
“Please, I’m still amazed that we never knew about this valuable resource your planet has.” He made himself a cup of coffee then sat back as the food was brought out the kitchen.
“He wants to talk about the hunters I take it.” Two of the hunters survived, barely. She made the decision to let them go because although both of them would have attacked Lyrek neither of them were successful. That alone spared their lives.
“I say we meet him on neutral ground.” She looked over at Lyrek to see what he thought.
“He would love to be invited in. I would rather keep him out. Neutral ground it is.”
“Will he be invited to the coronation?” Jayton asked Lyrek.
“Yes. I want the human government to see this as a peace treaty between our people and theirs. There is no need for them to know that Jade is a hybrid. I believe it is in our best interest to make sure they never find that out.”
She knew where she would end up if her people knew what happened to her and it wasn’t in bed with her mate.
“Is the new border alarm in effect?”
“We caught two trespassers last night. They were given the standard warning and turned away.”
“Good.” They extended the patrol from ten miles around the shielded area to the whole fifty miles. They immediately realized that more people than they thought were invading their land. “Remind everyone to stay vigilant. I know the hunters and campers seem harmless…”
She couldn’t command a team of trained military on a whim she felt to the marrow of her bones. They were being tested, there was no way this many fishers, hunters, and campers were finding a place in California that was previously undiscovered and unused land. She knew what was happening but not who was orchestrating it. Her worse fear was that the Hydal found them.
Lyrek stood up from the table to lean over giving her a kiss. He knew the fears she harbored.
“I am going with Jayton to go over some plans for the coronation.”
“Have fun,” she threw both a smile before they walked away.
Coronation. It would be a double coronation. They would both be ascending the throne. It was one thing to say Lyrek was royalty because of his eyes but unless he was crowned, he couldn’t officially take that position. He kept ignoring suggestions of him stepping up officially until the fight. If he had been king, no one would have dared to challenge him. If they did, they would have understood the consequences were death even if he chose to let them live.
Jade said goodbye to trash when it came to the byema she killed. That scared her although she refused to admit it. What happened to the woman who hated to kill flies in her apartment? There was a place deep within that wasn’t hard but it understood that some people were asking to be killed if they came after her.
The idea of being a queen scared her. Being the president of a corporation had given her some experience. It crossed her mind more than once that the lively hood of the p
eople who worked for her was in her hands. The realization that if she fucked up little Timmy might not get Christmas or Sara might not get the surgery she badly needed. Some nights it haunted her thinking of the people who came to work drinking coffee smiling and gossiping, how they depended on her rather they knew it or not.
Now a whole race of people who had literally seen their future explode in front of them was counting on her. She was their hope of opening a mysterious door that will allow them to access a part of them that was walled off. If she screwed up, they couldn’t just apply for another job or unemployment.
She never felt more alone than she felt at this moment.
Her cell phone rang. She scrunched her face up not believing it was actually ringing.
Don’t answer the phone it’s a trap. She had it disconnected how could it ring? Don’t answer it. She answered it.
“Hello?”
“Hey, I know your just voicemail. Friends shouldn’t send friends to voicemail.” Sadness seeped behind a fake smile that Jade could almost see. “I miss you. I can’t imagine what I did for you to leave without letting me know first or giving me a way to get in touch with you. I should be over it it’s been months. Turns out you don’t just forget about the people you love like family. So yeah, I just called to hear your voice. I miss you.”
Let her hang up Jade. She hesitated for a minute.
“I miss you to Em.”
“Jade? Is that you? Is this some kind of sick game?”
“This isn’t quite my idea of virtual reality.”
“OMG Jade! It’s really you.”
“I miss you so much Em. There is so much going on with my life and I’m afraid to tell you in case it places your life in jeopardy.”
“Jade you better stop and tell me everything or I swear I will hunt you down and then give you the beat down of your life. Don’t try me, I’ve done it before.”
A smile played around Jade’s mouth. Em hunted her down once before jumping on her and showing her how well she could torture her by tickling her.
Jade walked into the living room taking a comfortable spot on the couch. Then she started to tell Em everything starting with one question.
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